Some rock bands are formed great, some achieve greatness, while others have it thrust upon them for the allotted fifteen minutes only to have it snatched away by the whims of a fickle public and the sophomore jinx.
Then there’s the none-of-the-above, no-hit wondrous Sixties-saurs the Truants. As recounted in Bill Scheft’s amusing and unassuming nostalgia-luxe novel, Time Won’t Let Me, these prep school underachievers will never be mistaken for The Only Band That Matters or The Future of Rock and Roll--nor its saviors: Have Three Chords And The Truth, Will Travel.
What Richie, John, Brian, Jerry and Tim unwittingly have going for them, though, is a regional cult following and a legacy achieved after forming a band at toney Chase Academy in 1965 and getting real good real fast at “singing about confusion and anger and changing the world and freedom, whether they knew what they were playing or not.” Tellingly, it’s a progress that benefits from the odd number of members: "If you put things to as many votes as you’re going to have to, it’s like buying no-tie insurance . . . The Truants wavered between meritocracy and benevolent dictatorship."
It also helps that Brian and Richie turn out to be solid songwriters, and in a Lennon/McCartney style--without the substance--they team up to write their first school dance fave, "Get Psyched." Increasing clashes, however, mean that thereafter they’ll compose individually, with each contributing cryptically personal songs that are ultimately instrumental in finger-pointing recriminations, big secrets and an acrimonious break-up. Before things turn sour, however, The Truants manage to forego their Yokos and leave their egos outside a studio door long enough to record a vanity album, Out of Site, before going their separate ways. Not even enough time for a halfway decent Behind-the-Music downward spiral.
Skipping ahead to 1996, the Truants are on the north side of their forties with contentment heading south. Brian has "spent twenty-some years calling in sick to the nonacademic world" in his Sisyphean struggle to finish his doctoral thesis. Richie is a caddish divorce lawyer looking to change his ways, with John a divorcing dermatologist looking to maintain his. Jerry--he‘s a rebel and he‘ll never, ever be any good--is now a ramblin’, gamblin’ Equal addict, and Tim watches the clock at the Massachusetts Archives, which is like "working at the morgue without all the formaldehyde." Tim also keeps himself busy lovingly protecting his old hidden-away drum set from the clutches of a disapproving wife. It’s a connection to his rock star roots, and the fact the Truants were good enough to document their music on vinyl has a lot of personal, if not commercial, meaning.
Article comments
1 - Bill Scheft
How dare you write better and funnier than me!
Thanks for getting all of it.
Bill
2 - Temple Stark
GoHah is an aquired taste.
Oh wait that's Det. Goren
:-)
(and GoHah). I've acquired. ..
3 - Matthew T. Sussman
Nifty review. This book's on my to-buy list, for my upcoming East Coast travel in January.
And was that really Bill Scheft in Comment No. 1?
4 - GoHah
For author Bill Scheft: wonderful to hear from you--it was such a fun book and I had a great time writing the review. I'll definitely be reading more of your works as they come out.
Thanks, Gordon Hauptfleisch
5 - Christopher Rose
great review, gohah, keep 'em coming.
6 - Tim Daniel
If comment #1 really WAS from the author, it would be great to find out whether or not any book tour that he might have would be bringing him to the Twin Cities!
7 - GoHah
To Tim Daniel: "really WAS from the author"? (your emphasis)?
Man, you found me out, though it was my evil twin who really perperated this hoax. No problem, though, we'll just slip on our Bill Scheft disguises so "the author" can do book signings in Minneapolis and St. Paul at the same time.
8 - Bill Scheft
To Matthew T Sussman, yes, it really is me.
To Go Hah, TWLM is my second novel. The Ringer (not to be confused with the Johnny Knoxville film) came out in 2002. And I saw they picked up this review in the San Diego Union-Trib. I'm sure it will help. So, thanks again.
To Tim Daniel, Mellow, is that you?
I'll be coming to the Twin Cities if you can guarantee my publisher they'd make money if I did....I didn't think so.
9 - GoHah
To Bill Scheft: enjoyed seeing you on Letterman the other night (former writer for, right?). It was an oversight on my part for not mentioning your previous book--sorry, I usually put that kind of info in my reviews. I'm in San Diego--so I'll keep and eye out for any book signings you may have in the area.
My goof, but: Has anyone, including Tim Daniel, ever been Mellow? I always thought it was a rhetorical question, and didn't involve any actual flesh-and-blood people. Live and learn.
10 - Bill Scheft
To Go Hah: I will be in and around San Francisco doing readings the last week of February. So far, that's as close as I'll get to Diego.
Glad you saw the show. Yes, I was a writer there for 13 years.